Sigfox Universities Challenge 2019

The challenge

Welcome to Sigfox Universities Challenge 2019!

Together with Sigfox Operators, Sigfox Foundation and Hackster.io, we have joined forces to welcome all university students in developing projects that will both benefit local needs and drive academic innovation through Sigfox around the world.

We are welcoming any students (under and post grad) to develop inspiring IoT projects and future solutions, using Sigfox Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) technology.

As a feature of our Education Program, this challenge offers competitors access to Sigfox Learning Center, to practice and develop the knowledge in IoT, LPWAN and Sigfox technology. In addition the students can access the content from the Starter program, which aims to support technology entrepreneurs in growing their business.

Get the chance to pitch your solution in front of industry and technology experts in Sigfox and join us to make things come alive!

Background

The IoT brings the 4th industrial revolution to all sectors and next generation of enabled IoT solutions needs to be lower-cost, autonomous and more flexible than earlier generations of connectivity technology.

By establishing a dedicated network for small messages in more than 60 countries and covering 1 billion people, Sigfox's mission is to offer everyone access to a resilient, low-power and universal network. In comparison to the 4G network everyone knows, Sigfox's vision is to develop a 0G standard.

We look forward to furthering innovation with students and creating a more connected world using the Sigfox low-power wide area network technology.

Sigfox truly believes that small messages can have a great impact, and is already contributing through its Sigfox Foundation, that's why other partners and ourself want to specially reward the projects with sustainable development, biodiversity and positive impact goals. Help us drive innovation through IoT by submitting your ideas that can help make the world a better place.

Contest Themes

Sigfox is built to solve real world problems and what's holding back the proliferation of IoT. So while we've centered the contest around Sigfox technologies, you have the freedom to challenge yourself on the theme you prefer, unlighted by our ecosystem.

We encourage you to bust out your dev kits, open your IDEs and get cracking on the challenges posted below!

You will be able to apply for hardware all along the challenge (within the limits of available quantities).

Be sure to indicate your project's theme when submitting your contest entry.

Theme 1: Biodiversity and positive impact, by Sigfox Foundation

The Sigfox Foundation uses the Internet of Things to act on urgent causes with three priorities: protect the biodiversity, health and foster social ties. With the mission to conceive and design very low-cost solutions, working in total autonomy and able to produce lifesaving data, these solutions are published in the public domain so that any NGO or community can use them freely and amplify the impact globally.

During this challenge, we invite you to act on urgent causes by designing solutions that help protect the biodiversity, environment, health or foster social ties.

Theme 2: Social impact, by SqwidNet

Social impact is grounded in the effect it has on a pressing social challenge and the effect an organization's actions have on the well-being of the community. Take advantage of Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) of Sigfox to solve socio-economic problems by the use of IoT.

Build a project which address concerns such as: unemployment, need for good health and well-being, water crisis, quality education, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth, industry and infrastructure, sustainable cities and communities.

Theme 3 : Supply chain and logistics

A supply chain is the entire process of making and selling commercial goods, including every stage from the supply of materials and the manufacture of the goods, through to their distribution and sale. Tracking and protecting the valuable assets has always been a concern that we see as an opportunity for your IoT project.

Easily monitor the location and condition of goods as they travel by land, sea, or air, or improve security for warehouses and fleet vehicles, your smart logistic project can tackle in many ways this field.

Theme 4 : Smart-building

What if a building could talk? Thanks to the Internet of Things, now it can! Monitor building systems, track heavy equipment or secure valuable assets with wireless plug-and-play solutions, we have the opportunities to design smart solution for the cities of today and tomorrow.

Gather real-time insights into infrastructure stability, rodent infestations, trash collection, monitor building systems, track heavy equipment or secure valuable assets with wireless plug-and-play solutions. Any idea you can imagine and challenge in the building you're sitting right now!

Theme 5: Out of the box

If you're willing to learn more on Sigfox and none of the theme is giving you ideas, we want to let young innovator let their creativity talk too! This theme is your chance to show us how you can be thinking out of the box but still bringing a great solution out. Maybe to bring an answer to a very special need in your school/university, it's time to roll-up sleeves and to show what you got!

Hardware Requests

The easiest way to get started with Sigfox is to use a devkit. We worked together with several board and chip makers in order to provide first-timers with accessible hardware. We offer different dev kits for different countries, so click on the apply for hardware tab and find out which dev kit is supported in your country.

You can choose your preferred devkit on Sigfox Partner Network.

Once you have received your devkit, you need to register it to get your 1-year free connectivity. Go to the Sigfox Buy website, click on "Activate my Devkit", and follow the instructions.

We designed the protocol in such a way that it only takes a few lines of codes to start sending Sigfox messages.

Your first message is sent to the Sigfox network through neighboring base stations (if your area is covered). Base stations then upload the message to the Sigfox Cloud, where you can access it either through the Sigfox Backend web interface or through its REST/Callback API.

Attention students!

If you compete with group of minimum 20 students and supported by one of your professor, you can get free hardware.

Attention professors!

If you're available to support 20 students minimum, working in groups to present a project for the Sigfox Universities Challenge 2019, you can apply to get free hardware too!

Send an email at education@sigfox.com with subject line: "challenge hardware request for university".

Prizes

Top Worldwide Projects

11 winners

Hardware + Mentorship

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$200 value

• 1 development kit of their choice in our selection (Arduino, Pycom, ST, Yadom) including free connectivity for one year*
• 1 article on Sigfox's blog to present all Top Projects, shared on Sigfox social media
• 1 mentoring session with Sigfox Adoption team

Top 3 Projects

3 winners

Hardware + Mentorship + Workshop

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$1,000 value

• 1 Sens'it device
• 1 article on Sigfox's blog to present all Top Projects, shared on Sigfox social media
• 1 mentoring session with Sigfox Adoption team
• The opportunity to have their designs seen by Sigfox partners in their country, to help you to push your project forward and next level of a successful solutions
• Reward for the universities of the students*

Sigfox Universities Challenge Winner

Our judges will pick the best project worldwide based on the criteria outlined in the rules section.

2 winners

Device and recommended application to Sigfox Hacking House in Europe, the USA or Asia

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$3,000 value

• 1 Sens'it device
• 1 dedicated article on Sigfox's blog
• The opportunity to have their designs seen by Sigfox partners in their country, to help you to push your project forward and next level of a successful solutions
• Mentoring by the Sigfox Adoption team (owner of the following programs: Education, Developers, Starter, Global Stars, Incubators & VCs, Hacking House, IoT Agency)
• Reward for the university of the students* including an on-site class animated by Sigfox and/or local Sigfox Operator in the student's University
• Get your application recommended for Sigfox Hacking House program**

**The Universities Challenge can offer the opportunity to the student to have her/his application recommended to Hacking House but can't guaranty to be selected. It will be based on: interview with program manager to validate application only if meeting requirements, dependent on the participant meeting the required VISA conditions of the country where the program will take place. If the student integrate the program, this statue will not cover the cost of traveling and living on-site for the duration of the program.

Biodiversity and Positive Impact Prize

Supported by the Sigfox Foundation

1 winner

Sigfox Media + Swag

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$500 value

• 1 interview video of the winner, published on Sigfox Foundation website and Sigfox social media
• 1 mentoring session with an expert at the Foundation
• 1 dev-kit of your choice in our selection to improve your prototype (Arduino, Pycom, ST, Yadom)
• 1 Foundation t-shirt

Social Impact Prize

Supported by Sqwidnet

1 winner

Trip to Sigfox HQ in France + $1500

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$4,000 value

• 1 all-expenses-paid trip to Sigfox's HQ in France for the team member to present their solution.
• $1500 split between the entrants and their school/faculty

Hackster Impact Prize

Join Hackster as we rally with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in order to make today's world a smarter, healthier place. The Hackster team will select one project that best contributes to any of the SDGs. Please refer to the specific judging criteria for this prize category.

1 winner

$500 Gift card + Video interview + More

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$430 value

The winner will receive the following:
- a $250 gift card from Hackster;
- a 12-month subscription to Patchr Premium ($180 value);
- last but not least, they will be featured in a video interview with Hackster’s one and only Alex Glow.

Please visit the Hackster Impact Prize page for more information.

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